Pulse Crops Production Opportunities, Challenges and Its Value Chain in Ethiopia: A Review Article

Agriculture is the main back bone of Ethiopian economy; crop production takes the largest share. The major crops category grown in all parts of the country are cereals, pulses and oilseeds, which not only constituted major food crops but also served as a source of income at household level and a contributor for the country’s foreign currency earnings, among others. The objective of this review is to organize and make analysis on pulse crops production opportunities, challenges and its value chain in Ethiopia. To meet the objective of the study larger number of literatures has been reviewed. In Ethiopia, pulse crops are the second most cultivated crop next to cereals both in terms of area cultivated and volume of production. The suitability of soil and climate conditions for pulse crops cultivation makes Ethiopia is a huge supplier of dry pulse crops in the international markets. More than twelve pulse species are grown in the country. Faba bean, field pea, chickpea, lentils, grass peas, fenugreek (lupine), haricot beans, soya beans and mung beans are the most important. Oromia, Amhara, SNNPR and Tigray regions are the largest producers of pulse crops. There has been substantial growth in pulse subsector since 2007/2008 in terms of volume of production and productivity (yields) but yields are low compared to international standards and overall production is highly constrained by lack of proper agronomic practices, weather shocks, and shortage of improved seeds, fertilizers and chemicals to control pests and diseases. In Ethiopia, pulse`s value chains are long with many middlemen and relatively high margins goes to intermediates. Actors in the pulse crops value chain are constrained by so many factors, such as lack of infrastructures and financial services, weak linkages between exporters and producers, lack of sustained and adequate market to the exporters and farmers. Keywords: Ethiopia, Pulse crops, Nitrogen fixation, Value chain. DOI: 10.7176/JEES/9-1-0